Explore Dukhovshchinsky District

• Smolenskoye Poozerye National Park extends across parts of Demidovsky and Dukhovshchinsky districts.
• Puzekinskiy Mokh bog is a 730-hectare hydrological and botanical natural monument of regional significance. It was designated in 1981.
• The historical and art museum is located in Dukhovshchina, the district’s administrative center.
• Chizhovo, also spelled Chizhevo, is Grigori Potemkin’s birthplace.

Smolenskoye Poozerye National Park lies partly in both Demidovsky and Dukhovshchinsky districts. It was established in Smolensk Oblast on April 15, 1992, to protect unique natural complexes for recreational, educational, scientific, and cultural purposes. It is important to note that the park extends across parts of both districts; it is therefore a regional protected area, not a single locality.

Puzekinskiy Mokh offers a different, clearly defined focus: this 730-hectare peat bog has been designated a natural monument of regional significance since 1981. The terms “hydrological” and “botanical” refer to its water system and plant life. Together, they describe two natural-history aspects of this protected area. If you are considering nature when choosing a region, you can distinguish between the national park, which spans several districts, and the specifically named bog.

The historical and art museum is located in Dukhovshchina, which is also the administrative center of Dukhovshchinsky District. Another historical connection leads to Chizhovo: the village is the birthplace of Prince Grigori Alexandrovich Potemkin-Tavrichesky, known as Grigori Potemkin. The spellings Chizhovo and Chizhevo refer to the same village.

These are two different places with distinct historical connections: the museum in Dukhovshchina and Potemkin’s birthplace. Keeping them separate makes it easier to distinguish the place names when planning a trip, rather than conflating both stops as a single location.

The wider destination of Smolensk Oblast offers other nature and cultural experiences. The K istokam nature trail is a circular route that starts in the village of Staryy Dvor. A track for mobile apps such as Geotreker or MAPS.ME helps visitors explore independently. Two viewpoints at Lakes Svyatets and Sapsho were set up in 2023–2024. These details give the route a different character from a guided group program.

Another example in Smolensk Oblast is the barefoot trail in Boroviki. It has 14 sections, each six meters long, with different natural surfaces to walk on barefoot. At the end, you can wash your feet and, if you wish, stroll through Aptekarskiy sad. The precise sequence of varied surfaces followed by a visit to the garden sets this experience apart from an ordinary hiking route.

The Stargrad ethnographic village is also part of the wider destination of Smolensk Oblast. It can only be visited as part of a guided group. The extended guided program includes, among other things, the Babiy kut workshop on traditional women’s crafts, where you can make souvenirs yourself. At Polevaya kuznya, participants can mint coins and make chain mail; the Srednevekovyy tir area includes archery, slingshots, and throwing axes and sulitsy. The extended program also includes an exercise with the Fornkor Viking oak boat and lunch featuring historical dishes cooked in cauldrons over an open fire. If you would like to include these activities, check their availability with the organizers and plan your visit in advance.

Discover more destinations: Yartsevskiy rayon, Yelninsky District, Smolenskiy rayon, Sychyovsky District, Smolensk, Shumyachskiy rayon, Kardymovskiy rayon.

Which protected bog is located in Dukhovshchinsky District?

Puzekinskiy Mokh is a 730-hectare hydrological and botanical natural monument of regional significance. It was designated in 1981.

Where was Grigori Potemkin born?

His birthplace is the village of Chizhovo, which is also spelled Chizhevo. The historical and art museum, by contrast, is in Dukhovshchina.

Can you visit Stargrad independently?

No. Visits are only possible as part of a guided group. Check availability in advance for the extended guided program.

View the broader travel overview: Smolensk Oblast.